Dunfermline Athletic boss Jim Jefferies is understood to be considering his position at the club following a meeting with the board at East End Park.
The 64-year-old, who succeeded Jim McIntyre as manager back in 2012, has come in for criticism in recent weeks from some sections of the Dunfermline support after some poor performances on the park, with Saturday’s 3-1 loss away to Airdrieonians the final straw for many.
That result came on the back of a disappointing Scottish Cup exit to Stranraer just days earlier, which denied the Pars a potentially lucrative fifth round tie at home to Dundee United in February.
And with promotion back to the Championship possibly the difference between the club staying full-time or going part-time next season, The Courier understands Jefferies held talks with Pars directors yesterday and was left in no uncertain terms that the situation must improve.
Chairman Bob Garmory last night rubbished rumours that Jefferies had been sacked, but admitted a full and frank discussion had been had.
“Obviously in the last week it has been a very difficult time,” he told The Courier.
“We’ve obviously had two very disappointing results, one of which was the cup game which was particularly hurtful given that we had been 2-0 up down at Stranraer in the first game and ended up losing two late goals.
“So to capitulate in the way we did was, for a man of Jim’s experience, very difficult to take.
“Saturday was the same, so we have held meetings with the manager today and discussed with him the situation.
“One thing is for sure, the current situation is unacceptable there’s no any other way of putting it.
“I think you would expect us, as a board, to say that, and we have outlined how we foresee things going forward.
“Jim is a man of considerable experience and we’re waiting to see what he says.”
Since taking the reins, the former Hearts and Kilmarnock manager has endured a particularly tough spell at East End Park and was in charge in 2013 when the club hit severe financial difficulties and was on the brink of extinction.
Nevertheless, he was one of the main figureheads throughout the Pars’ administration and worked tirelessly behind the scenes to help steady the ship, both on and off the park and often at his own expense.
He has also helped to bring on the Pars’ youth set-up in recent years, along with coaches Neil McCann and John Potter, and blood a number of promising youngsters through the ranks to the first team.
A 15-point deduction that season stacked the deck against Dunfermline and they were ultimately relegated to the Second Division, while the Pars failed to bounce straight back last term when they were beaten by Cowdenbeath in the play-off final.
But while the club has recovered off the pitch after a turbulent time, the pressure of trying to take the Pars back to Scottish football’s second tier after relegation has been evident.
Amid suggestions that only promotion will do to avoid part-time football next season, Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Airdrieonians saw Jefferies’ team slip to fourth in League One five points behind league leaders Forfar.
Stranraer are visitors to East End Park this coming Saturday, and it is clear from Garmory’s comments that something will have to change.
Jefferies said after Saturday’s match that his side had been giving away goals far too easily in the last weeks and admitted the problem needed to be solved quickly.
“This league will chop and change; you can be second, first or third one week but then down out of it the next,” Jefferies commented.
“It becomes a really, really big game again next week.
“We will be a lot better I can assure you.
“We will be a lot tighter than we have been in the last couple of games because you will not get away with that week in week out.”